Helen's Famous Travel Blogs

Papeete, Tahiti

Wednesday 30th January 2013

Tahiti is French Polynesia’s largest and most glamorous tropical island (sometimes called the Island of Love) and home to its unique capital city of Papeete. Papeete is a bustling and noisy modern city with its busy harbour full of beautiful yachts, inter-island ferry-boats and cruise ships all moored right next to the main boulevard and boardwalk.

No tours for us today, instead we walked into Papeete and headed for the covered market which sells everything from flowers, bags and carvings to coconuts and fish. We didn’t buy anything although I was tempted by an imitation Tiare flower (the national emblem of French Polynesia) which was mounted on a hair clip and scented with tiare perfume which I was told would last for two months. Vance however was not impressed and said my days of being a dusky maiden were long gone … thank you darling.

We then strolled along the boardwalk at the side of the harbour looking at the ships that were in the marina but it was so humid that we soon went back to the Quest for a cooling swim and an even cooler beer…or two!!

We had lunch in The Colonnade with Heidicha and then a lazy afternoon on deck.

Cheers

Up to The Sky Bar at 4:30pm for a show by the Polynesian dance troupe and then the sail away party. Our departure was delayed until 7pm but it was really beautiful to sail out of Papeete in the darkening evening light.

Dinner in The Colonnade was ‘Surf & Turf’ but we asked if they could just make us a pasta dish instead – what a silly question of course they could and they made us a fabulous ‘spag bol’ washed down with a nice Italian red.

Then it was back to the pool deck for ‘Sinatra & Friends’ under the stars where we sat, drank, sang & danced to the live music with our friends. No photos I’m afraid as I forgot my camera but a great time was had by all.

When the band moved to The Club we stayed on deck drinking, chatting and laughing until the lights were turned off – hinting that the bar needed to be closed perhaps!!….definitely time for bed…zzzzzzz